Graduate Director

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Hugh Ellis, PhD

Professor, Biology

Hugh Ellis, PhD, came to the Biology Department in 1980 after teaching three years at Iowa State University. He is a physiological ecologist and teaches several ecological courses as well as two of the preparatory courses for the Biology and Marine Science majors. His research is in the energetics of birds, looking at such topics as energy budgets, migration, and diving. He has been a visiting research scientist at the University of Hawaii, Sydney University (Australia), and the Archbold Biological Station (Florida). Dr. Ellis is affiliated with the Marine Science graduate program and is involved with the Center of Comparative Physiology in the Biology Department.

Education

AB in Zoology, University of California, BerkeleyMS in Biology, California State University at NorthridgePhD in Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville

Scholarly and Creative Work

Dr. Ellis' research is focused on the temperature regulation and energetics of birds of several groups: herons, seabirds, rails, and jays. For the last several years, the primary focus of his work has been the physiological adaptations of Eared Grebes, a diving waterbird. His lab has studied its temperature regulation, its energy budget, and the relation of its body composition and metabolic rate to different parts of its annual cycle. Recent work in the lab includes a study of fatty acid signatures as a guide to Eared Grebe migratory routes. Current work in the lab includes a study of oxygen stores in diving grebes and the intermediary metabolism of several tissues in these birds.

Teaching Interests

Professor Ellis is trained as a physiological ecologist, so the questions he asks as a scientist are grounded in the ecological conditions of the animals he studies. He teaches several ecological courses at the university: Ecology (Biology 460), Ecological Communities of San Diego (Biology 361), and for non-majors Ecology and Environmental Biology (Biology 112, cross-listed as Environmental Studies 112). He also teaches general biology: Genetics, Evolution, and Ecology (Biology 190), and Organismal Biology (Biology 221), both for majors, and Survey of Biology (Biology 111) for non-majors.